THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | BY AUBREY WHELAN AND DON SAPATKIN | 8.9.17
President Donald Trump’s advisers said Tuesday that he would not declare a national emergency over the opioid crisis, despite an “urgent” recommendation from the commission he appointed to study the epidemic.
“Your declaration would empower your cabinet to take bold steps and would force Congress to focus on funding and empowering the Executive Branch even further to deal with this loss of life,” the commission, chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, wrote in its report. But Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters that the government could deploy the necessary resources without declaring an emergency.